April 22, 201016 yr UK is the binge-drink capital of Europe: Statistic shows the failure of 24-hour opening By Daily Mail Reporter Last updated at 8:04 AM on 22nd April 2010 Comments (58) Add to My Stories British revellers drink more alcohol than anyone else in Europe, a survey reveals. The disturbing findings expose the massive failure of the introduction of 24-hour drinking five years ago. Ministers predicted new relaxed licensing laws would create a European-style 'cafe culture'. Instead, they turned town centres into no-go areas on Friday and Saturday nights. Enlarge Binge culture: Britons drink the largest quantity of booze at a single session, the poll revealed The study by pollsters Eurobarometer found that while Britons are not Europe's most frequent drinkers, once we are on a drinking session, we guzzle more alcohol than anyone else. Some 12 per cent of Britons admitted to downing more than seven drinks in a session. For the purposes of the survey, one drink was defined as a single glass of wine, beer or spirits. Britain's binge-drinking put it ahead of the likes of Ireland, Finland and Germany, which have all scored highly in previous alcohol studies, while in Bulgaria, Greece and Austria, not one person admitted drinking more than seven drinks in a single session. Only 20 per cent of Britons said they had consumed no alcohol in the past 12 months, compared to double that figure in Portugal, Italy and Hungary. Enlarge A Eurobarometer spokesman added: 'Europe is the region with the highest per capita alcohol consumption in the world, and Britain tops the league for the largest volumes drunk in single sessions.' Home Office figures show crime and disorder caused by binge drinking costs the taxpayer between £8billion and £13billion a year. Home Office Minister Alan Campbell announced this month that pub owners who offered 'all you can drink' promotions could be jailed under laws designed to curb binge drinking. From July, pubs and bars will be forced to offer smaller drinking measures so customers can choose to drink less. And they will have to ask anyone who looks younger than 18 for identification before selling them alcohol. Mr Campbell said: ' Alcohol-related crime costs the UK billions of pounds every year. 'While the vast majority of retailers are responsible, a minority continue to run irresponsible promotions which fuel the excessive drinking that leads to alcohol-related crime and disorder.' Half of Britons said they drank 'three or four times' a week, compared with 60 per cent of Italians, who said they drank up to two glasses every day of the week. The European average is between one and three times a week. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1267817/UK-named-binge-drink-capital-Europe.html#ixzz0lrJaZQin
April 22, 201016 yr 24-hour drinking? I wish! Most places close at like 2 or 3AM. Doesn't stop people from getting wasted though.
April 23, 201016 yr Author 24-hour drinking? I wish! Most places close at like 2 or 3AM. Doesn't stop people from getting wasted though. Exactly. Extended drinking hours were only ever going to make the situation worse, not better.:dozey:
April 23, 201016 yr No, extended drinking hours would probably have little effect on the situation. If someone wants to have a drink they'll get it, with or without 24 hour drinking. And like Sally, most places here close at 1am or 2am, so this article and your claims (from someone who doesn't drink or drinks very little) holds no merit and is absolute bullshit.
April 23, 201016 yr Author Coming from someone who has presumably never lived long-term inthe UK, that's hilarious! Anyone who has been in UK city centres at the weekend will have seen the problems at first-hand. Unfortunately some people would rather bury their head in the sand and pretend it's not happening, which is a very sad state of affairs indeed. It is obvious that if a culture of "binge-drinking" already exists in a community, extended hours are only going to exacerbate the problem, which is exactly what has happened. It isn't a question of whether pubs are open "24-hours" (which they aren't). Many of them are open longer than they used to be, and even if that's just one or two hours longer, that's more than enough time for the bing-drinkers to down several "units".
April 23, 201016 yr No, extended drinking hours would probably have little effect on the situation. If someone wants to have a drink they'll get it, with or without 24 hour drinking. And like Sally, most places here close at 1am or 2am, so this article and your claims (from someone who doesn't drink or drinks very little) holds no merit and is absolute bullshit. I like your signature. *offtopic*
April 24, 201016 yr Coming from someone who has presumably never lived long-term inthe UK, that's hilarious! Anyone who has been in UK city centres at the weekend will have seen the problems at first-hand. Unfortunately some people would rather bury their head in the sand and pretend it's not happening, which is a very sad state of affairs indeed. It is obvious that if a culture of "binge-drinking" already exists in a community, extended hours are only going to exacerbate the problem, which is exactly what has happened. It isn't a question of whether pubs are open "24-hours" (which they aren't). Many of them are open longer than they used to be, and even if that's just one or two hours longer, that's more than enough time for the bing-drinkers to down several "units". I think he's right. I don't think 24-hour drinking makes the situation worse. Also if by 'session' they mean night out, I'm surprised that it's only 12% that have more than 7 drinks.
April 24, 201016 yr The way they defined 'binge' drinking was 4 or more pints. from Frank Skinner's show
April 25, 201016 yr Author The way they defined 'binge' drinking was 4 or more pints. from Frank Skinner's show Only for dwarfs.:lol:
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